Angara clan losing Aurora governorship to Noveras

BALER, Aurora, Philippines – Outgoing Vice Gov. Gerardo Noveras is headed for a landslide victory in the race for the governorship of the province, which could end the decade-old reign of the Angaras.

Based on yesterday’s partial, unofficial results covering 135 of 204 election returns (63.08 percent), Noveras tallied 32,560 votes as against 24,097 of outgoing three-term Baler Mayor Arthur Angara.

In the vice gubernatorial race, Angara’s nephew Rommel is poised for a runaway win with 30,635 votes as against the 23,484 of former Baler mayor Emil Etcubanez.

Noveras defeated Rommel in the 2007 vice gubernatorial race.

In the race for the province’s lone congressional district that will soon be vacated by outgoing three-term Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, his aunt, outgoing three-term Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, was headed for a return stint in Congress with 36,669 votes as against the 15,320 of Rodrigo Montero.

In the race for a seat in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, re-electionist board member Bobong Ong was leading in the first district, followed by Oscar Padua, Mariano Tangson and Philip Bautista.

In the second district, former board member Danilo Tolentino was leading.

Angara allies were lording it over in the mayoral races in this capital town and in the towns of Dinalungan, Dingalan, Dipaculao and Maria Aurora.

Outgoing Baler Vice Mayor Nelianto Bihasa was leading former police general Francisco Zubia Jr. and former three-term governor Edgardo Ong, while re-electionist Mayors Tito Tubigan of Dinalungan, Zenaida Padiernos of Dingalan and Reynante Tolentino of Dipaculao led their respective rivals.